Misfire in IDF Drill Narrowly Misses General

Two misfired artillery shells in an IDF exercise in southern Israel narrowly missed a group of soldiers Tuesday, including a top general.

By Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu

First Publish: 11/30/2011, 10:18 AM

IDF mobile artillery unit

Flash 90

Two misfired artillery shells in an IDF exercise in southern Israel Tuesday narrowly missed a group of soldiers, including a top general, a military spokesman said.

Central Commander Major-General Avi Mizrachi and Ground Forces Commander Sami Turgeman, along with a group of soldiers, were situated only a few dozen feet from the point of impact.

No one was injured, but IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz, who also was present at the live-fire drill, ordered officers to halt the drill.

After a preliminary inquiry by officers, he allowed the ground forces to continue the exercise but excluded artillery units.

A further investigation is under way to find out the reasons for the misfire of the artillery shells, which may have occurred due to failure to enter the correct data into the firing system or because of a problem with the shells.